Adenium plant named ‘LEELADE203’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Adenium  cultivar named ‘LEELADE203’ is disclosed, characterized by unique large, double pink flowers. The new variety is a  Adenium , typically produced as an indoor ornamental plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: i Adenium obesum.

Variety denomination: ‘LEELADE203’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This application relates to a new cultivar of Adenium obesum. The new variety is the product of a planned breeding program. The new variety originated as a seedling from the crossing of the unpatented, proprietary seed parent Adenium obesum ‘VCKP9’ with the unpatented, proprietary pollen parent referred to as Adenium obesum ‘VKGGW9’. The crossing was made by the inventor in a non commercial nursery in Bangkok, Thailand during 2006.

The new variety was first selected by the inventor, Anong Leelachaikul, a citizen of Thailand, in June 2009, at the same nursery in Bangkok, Thailand. After identifying the new variety as a potentially interesting selection, the inventor continued confidential testing and propagation of ‘LEELADE203’, assessing stability of the unique characteristics of this variety.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘LEELADE203’ was first performed in October 2010, at a commercial nursery in Bangkok, Thailand by taking a nodal cutting from the new variety and grafting that to a rootstock plant. The rootstock plants are started from seed, and are unnamed, unpatented varieties of Adenium obesum. Access to all plants was restricted, as plants were kept in a greenhouse not open to the public. Through subsequent propagation by vegetative cuttings, multiple generations have been reproduced, which have shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘LEELADE203’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘LEELADE203’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘LEELADE203’ as a new and distinct Adenium cultivar:

-   -   1. Pink flowers arranged in a double whorl.     -   2. Large flower diameter.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘LEELADE203’ are similar to the seed parent, Adenium ‘VCKP9’ in most horticultural characteristics. The new variety, however, produces double flowers whereas the seed parent produces single flowers.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘LEELADE203’ are similar to the pollen parent, Adenium ‘VKGGW9’ in most horticultural characteristics. The new variety, however, produces flowers in a different color of pink, than the pollen parent ‘VKGGW9’.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘LEELADE203’ are similar to the commercial variety. Adenium ‘Kissable’ in most horticultural characteristics. However, the new variety differs in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Different leaf shape     -   2. Different petal shape     -   3. Different pink color

Plants of the new cultivar ‘LEELADE203’ are similar to the commercial variety, Adenium ‘Pathum Ma’ in most horticultural characteristics. However, the new variety differs in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Different petal shape     -   2. Different leaf shape     -   3. ‘Pathum Ma’ has lighter pink flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color a typical plant of ‘LEELADE203’ grafted outdoors in Thailand and grown in a commercial greenhouse in Honselersdijk, the Netherlands. This plant is approximately 9 months old from the graft, shown planted in 15 cm container. The plant has been grown according to the details in the following paragraph. The photograph was taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart 2001, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘LEELADE203’ plants grown according to the following protocols.

Taking place in a commercial nursery, outdoors in Bangkok, Thailand, rootstock is grown from seeds. Seeds are planted and grown for 12-14 months. After that, heads are taken off the rootstock plants and the plants are grafted together with the selected variety.

Grafting is done by means of taking a nodal cutting from the candidate variety and placing that on top of the cut of the rootstock plant. Immediately after that, the top of the plant is covered by a layer of plastic and tied down by a rubber band. The plastic covers the actual graft entirely.

Rootstock plants during the first few weeks after seeding are grown under shade, and after that they are grown in Thailand in full sun. Stock plants of the candidate variety, resulting in the nodal cutting are also grown in Thailand in full sun.

During and until 1-2 weeks after grafting, plants are placed in a greenhouse that has both shade cloth and overhead plastic. This protects the grafted plants against the sun and the rain. After that, the grafted plants are placed in full sun again.

Three to four months after grafting, the grafted plants are cut back and shipped to the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, the plants continue to grow for 3-5 months, after which they are sold as flowering plant. Therefore, counted from the date of grafting, it takes 6-9 months to produce a finished flowering plant.

In Thailand the plants grow under natural conditions, with temperatures ranging approximately from 10° c. to 40° c., and very bright sunlight. In the Netherlands, the plants are grown in a greenhouse with average day temperature about 26 degrees Celsius and average night temperature about 22 degrees Celsius, un-shaded, to allow as much natural light as possible.

Measurements and numerical values below represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Adenium obesum ‘LEELADE203’.

PROPAGATION

-   Root description: The plant described is grafted and does not have     its own roots for description.

PLANT

-   Caudex description:     -   -   Diameter.—Average: 5.0 cm.         -   Height.—Average: 14.0 cm.         -   Color.—Greyed-green, near RHS 194A and 196B.         -   Texture.—Smooth, very slightly glossy. -   Plant spread: Approximately 17.4 cm. -   Plant height: Top of flowering plane, average: 27.4 cm. Top of     foliar plane, average: 22.1 cm. -   Growth rate: Moderate. -   Length of primary stem: Approximately 1.5 cm. -   Diameter of primary stem: Approximately 1.6 cm. -   Stem color: Greyed-green, in between near RHS 191B and 198A. -   Stem texture: Smooth, very slightly glossy.     -   -   Lateral branches.—Quantity: 2 (after pinching). Length:             5.7 cm. Diameter: 0.6 cm. Color: Green, near RHS 143B and             143C, older stems colored greyed-green, in between near RHS             191B and 198A. Texture/Pubescence: Smooth, moderately             glossy. -   Internode length: Approximately 0.5 cm. -   Age of plant described: 9 months from grafting. Grafted plants grown     in the Netherlands, in a commercial greenhouse.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Quantity.—Approximately 8 per lateral branch.         -   Average length.—Approximately 7.4 cm.         -   Average width.—Approximately 2.2 cm.         -   Shape of blade.—Oblanceolate.         -   Apex.—Abruptly acute.         -   Base.—Narrow cuneate.         -   Attachment.—Sessile.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture of top surface.—Smooth, glossy.         -   Texture of bottom surface.—Smooth, matte.         -   Pubescence.—No pubescence.         -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Green, near RHS 143A. Young             foliage under side: Green, near RHS 138B. Mature foliage             upper side: Green, near RHS N137B. Mature foliage under             side: Green, near RHS 138B.         -   Venation.—Type: Pinnate. Venation color upper side:             Greyed-green, near RHS 191B. Venation color under side:             Greyed-green, near RHS 191C.         -   Petiole.—No petioles present, leaves sessile.

FLOWERING CHARACTERISTICS

-   Natural flowering season: In Thailand, the plants flower all year     around, but during heavy rain periods, the plants do drop most or     all of their flowers. Therefore, especially during the rainy seasons     in Thailand, the plants will not flower so heavily as during the dry     seasons. In the Netherlands, the plants will naturally flower most     heavily during periods of very heavy sun and long days, particularly     in July and August and to a lesser extent in June and September. -   Inflorescence type and habit: Axillary compound cyme. -   Flower longevity on plant: Average: After fully opening the flowers,     the flowers will stay on the plant on average between 5-10 days. -   Quantity of flowers: About 1 bud and 6 fully opened flowers per     plant, at one time. -   Inflorescence size:     -   -   Diameter.—Approximately 17.6 cm.         -   Height.—Approximately 12.1 cm. -   Individual flower size:     -   -   Diameter.—Average: 6.4 cm.         -   Flower tube length.—Average: 3.5 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter at distal end.—Average: 1.4 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter at proximal end.—Average: 0.3 cm. -   Petals:     -   -   Petal arrangement.—Rotate.         -   Length from throat.—Average: 3.1 cm.         -   Width.—Average: 3.1 cm.         -   Quantity.—Average: 5.         -   Texture.—Smooth, slightly velvety, dull.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Tip shape.—Unequal emarginate.         -   Petaloids.—Average: 10, average length from throat: 3.1 cm,             average width: 3.0 cm, texture: smooth, slightly velvety,             dull, margins entire, tip shaped abruptly acute to rounded. -   Color:     -   -   Petals.—When opening: Upper surface: Red-purple, near RHS             N57B lighter towards the margins; near RHS N57D. Lower             surface: Red-purple, near RHS 68C, base purple, near RHS             75C. Fully opened: Upper surface: Red-purple, near RHS N57C,             lighter towards the margins; near RHS N57D. Lower surface:             Red-purple, near RHS 68D, base purple, near RHS 75C. Flower             throat (inside): Red-purple, near RHS 58A. Flower throat,             vein: Red-purple, near RHS 58A. Flower tube (outside):             Greyed-white, near RHS 156D. Flower tube, vein:             Greyed-white, near RHS 156C. Fading Petals fading to:             Red-purple, near RHS N66B. -   Color:     -   -   Petaloids.—When opening: Upper surface: Red-purple, near RHS             N57C, lighter towards the margins; near RHS N57D. Lower             surface: Red-purple, near RHS 68D, base purple; near RHS             75C. Fully opened: Upper surface: Red-purple, near RHS N57C,             lighter towards the margins; near RHS N57D. Lower surface:             Red-purple, near RHS 68D, base purple, near RHS 75C. Fading             Petaloids fading to: Red-purple, near RHS N66B. -   Bud:     -   -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.         -   Length.—Average: 2.8 cm.         -   Diameter.—Average: 0.8 cm.         -   Color.—Orange-white, near RHS 159D; top red-purple, near RHS             59D. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Length.—Average: 1.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—Average; 0.4 cm.         -   Color.—Yellow-green, near RHS 144C.         -   Orientation.—Outward to upright.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong. -   Pedicel:     -   -   Length.—Average: 1.7 cm.         -   Diameter.—Average: 0.3 cm.         -   Color.—Yellow-green, near RHS 144D.         -   Orientation.—Outward to upright.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong. -   Sepals:     -   -   Quantity per flower.—Average: 5.         -   Shape.—Narrow ovate.         -   Length.—Approximately 1.2 cm.         -   Width.—Approximately 0.4 cm.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture.—Smooth.         -   Color.—Upper and lower surfaces Yellow-green; near RHS 145A.         -   Apex.—Mucronulate.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:     -   -   Number.—Average: 10.         -   Filament length.—Approximately 0.6 cm. -   Anthers:     -   -   Shape.—Linear.         -   Length.—Approximately 2.6 cm.         -   Color.—White, near RHS N155A.         -   Pollen.—Color: No pollen detected. -   Pistil:     -   -   Number.—Average: 1.         -   Length.—Approximately 1.7 cm.         -   Style.—Length: Approximately 1.65 cm. Color: Yellow-green,             near RHS 145D.         -   Stigma.—Shape: Club-shaped. Color: Yellow-green, near RHS             145B. Ovary color: Yellow-green, near RHS 144B.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Disease resistance: Good resistance to the normal diseases found in     Adenium. -   Drought tolerance and cold tolerance: Normal for species, USDA zone     10 and higher. -   Fruit/seed production: No fruits/seeds detected to date. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Adenium plant named ‘LEELADE203’ as herein illustrated and described. 